“…globally we’re happy to spend a fortune sending hundreds of people to exotic locations to ‘talk’, but we can’t scratch together a few hundred bucks to help people on the ground to ‘do’ “. Ranger Patrol, marlin and how not to get killed by a crocodile.
Get up, it’s ranger patrol day!
We’re anchored in a Marine Protected Area. A combination of local customary law (‘Sasi’) and national legal frameworks is enforced by a group of rangers to ensure only certain uses by certain people in certain areas.
We arrive at the ranger station mid-morning, about 400 metres from our boat, and find out that there have been saltwater crocodiles in the area. I consider my dive of the previous day and decide it was probably ok but that paddling around the boat at dusk on an old surfboard to retrieve a fishing lure wasn’t my best idea.
We’re also told that the only people who are killed by crocodiles are those who have broken Sasi. Note to self, do NOT violate customary laws!
Soon three of us are on patrol with the rangers. We’re zipping across glassy-calm waters meeting local people fishing with hand lines and spearguns, and recording things like what they’re catching and how long they’ve been fishing.
At one stage we see a big fish at the surface. It’s a marlin. We’re excited and they’re all … “yawn … another marlin”. There are plenty around here but no-one fishes for them. Not even Roy’s hand line would be a match for one of those.
The rangers are cool. Dorteus looks wisely over his glasses. Yance with his gold chains. They wear official jackets with lettering on the back that is slowly being stripped by the climate. They’re careful with me and how I position myself in the boat. And they’re knowledgeable and proud of their environment. They treat the fishers they meet with respect
The fishers are friendly and happy to chat. We meet a couple of village women on a tiny dugout, an old couple doing well today and spearfishers targeting a type of trevally for a local ceremony. Under Sasi as local villagers they are allowed to spearfish here but no-one else can.
Today I’m doubling as a microphone holder for Kevin. He’s filming the stories of the rangers and the people we meet and it’s fascinating.
Of course it’s not all peace and happiness.
We hear a story about bomb fishers in the area. They come in from outside in big boats that the locals try to scare away.
And we find out that the rangers get a fuel allocation each month. We’re at month’s end so there’s not much left even though there’s a massive area to Patrol.
I think again about the way we resource work in the ocean space – globally we’re happy to spend a fortune sending hundreds of people to exotic locations to ‘talk’, but we can’t scratch together a few hundred bucks to help people on the ground to ‘do’.
The day finishes with a late afternoon dive in the muck. We’re a bit far from the main current so we don’t see much, and I can’t shake the ‘crocodile’ thing so every time I see a dark patch my heart skips a beat until I realise it’s just my shadow.
Source: LinkedIn | Greg Johannes
Photo: Greg Johannes
Past Entries:
About The Author: Greg Johannes, Ambassador – The SEA People. Greg spent 2 weeks aboard the Galaxea with us and documented his experience in his daily entries into ‘The SEA People Diaries’.
Day Four – Read here
Day Three – Read here
Day One and Two – Read here
Day Zero – Read here